Kari's Quest-Part 1
by Angel25
Summary: I only put it PG13 because there's suicide and guns in it. A TaKari romance. It's cute!
1.

Kari's Quest-A Single Tear-Part 1  
Author: Angel aka Kari Kamiya  
  
As I'm walking down these streets that I used to know so well, I wonder what I'm doing here again. I left here so long ago, to start a new life, but now that's all in shambles. There's nothing left for me there. It's been destroyed, just like so many other things I knew and loved. Just like so many friendships lost when I left. Friends that I haven't seen or spoken to for seven long years. Has it really been that long? Seven years since we were all together, seven years, since I had last  
been there, the place where I grew up, gained maturity, and hope, the Digiworld? Flashback We all stood there in front of the gate out of the digital world, our job finally done. In our arms, or by our sides, are our faithful Digimon, our friends. I find myself thinking, will we ever see them again? "It's time to go." Stated Izzy, "The gate will only be open for another three minutes. You had better say your last goodbyes now. There isn't much time." I sighed, a single tear drop falling from my eye to land on the soft fur of Patamon who was lying in my arms. "TK?" he asked.  
"What is it Patamon?" I replied, trying to hide the fact that my voice was shaking. "Will I ever see you again?" He questioned, his clear blue eyes gazing straight into mine. I couldn't lie. "I don't know Patamon, but I sure hope so!" He smiled up at me. "Good TK! As long as you have your hope, there is always a chance that we can see each other again! Never loose your hope!" I smiled back. "I won't Patamon, I promise!" End Flashback I thought that I couldn't lie to him. How  
wrong I was. There was nothing left for me to hope for, that had all been destroyed in that one split second. Actually, there was one last hope left. I hope that I won't have to suffer much longer. Flashback I saw it, but I couldn't believe it. This couldn't be happening. There was no way! She was just getting home, pulling onto our street, when it happened. The car came out of nowhere, jetting sown the street, on the wrong side of the road. The side that her car was on. I saw that they  
were about to crash, but there was nothing I could do. I let my basketball drop as I ran down the driveway. "Mom, watch out!!!!!!" But there was nothing that could be done. They crashed into each other, head on, my mothers car spinning to the side, crashing into a lampost, crumpling up horribly at the front. I could see it, pushing her backwards, crushing her. I ran as fast as I could to the car. As I got there, I noticed the other driver getting out of his car. Just getting out. When they  
had hit, he had been thrown sideways, hitting the curb and stopping. He was fine. But my mom was another story. I got there, and tried to yank the door open, but to no avail. I looked inside, and saw her, at least part of her, because the other have was jammed under the dashboard. Her head was cut open and bleeding, bleeding too much. It trickled down her face in crimson rivers, standing out pointedly against her pale face. The part of her stomach that I could see was torn  
and bleeding even more than her head, if that was even possible. I felt the tears streaming down my face as I looked in. "It's ok mom, I'll get help, your gonna be fine!" She attempted a weak smile, but it just turned into a grimace of pain. Her voice was barley more than a whisper. "No TK, my little boy, I won't be. I'm sorry that this had to happen, I don't want to leave you like this." "No mom, no! You have to live, you have to! You can't leave me, you have to stay!" I was sobbing by now, still trying to force open the door. I could hear the faint sounds of sirens in the distance. "See mom, they're coming, everything will be just fine!" A single tear left her eye. I was struck with the feeling that I was back in Digiworld, leaving something that I loved so much behind. "TK......" she gasped, "Before I go, I want you to know that I've always loved you...I'm so proud... to have you... as... my son... I love you TK..." With that she went limp, and I knew that she was gone. Everyone who I had cared about in this life had left me. I was alone. "No mom, you can't leave me!!!!!! Mom, I love you!" End Flashback. And I was right. Back then I had been so naïve, I thought my life would stay perfect forever. I never knew how much life hurts. I found myself in an alleyway, sitting on a bunch of tied up cardboard sitting near the dumpster. The neighborhood that had once  
been so clean, and lively, was now the wrong side of town. Had everything changed so much since I was last here? Had I changed that much? Would anyone even recognize me now, if I showed up on their door? Would I know them? Flashback I was standing in the terminal of the airport, ready to leave for my new home with my mother, who had decided after the "horrors" of what we'd faced in Digiworld, we should get a new start. As if staying away would keep me with her. I looked into the faces of my friends and family, and I wondered if I would ever see them again. I said goodbye to the gang, Mimi, Joe, Sora, Tai, Davis, Yolei, Cody, and Izzy. Next came Matt and dad. There were tears brimming in my eyes, just knowing that I had to leave them. My father gave me a gruff goodbye and a quick hug, but I knew that he cared, the slight wetness in his eyes told me more than any words ever could. The gang slightly backed away to let me and Matt say goodbye, as if they knew how much it saddened us to let go of each other, after we had grown so close. "So, I guess this is it squirt." Matt stated, in his usual unemotional voice. If I didn't know him better, I would have thought that he didn't care. "Yeah, I guess so." I stated, trying to stay calm, but a single tear slid down my cheek. Matt noticed this and smiled. "Hey, don't worry bro, I'll see you again soon! Goodbye isn't forever!" I sniffed a bit, determined not to break down. "I know, its just..." What happened next probably surprised me the most. Matt grabbed me and hugged me fiercely, and I could feel tears from his eyes dripping onto my shoulder. He backed away and his icy blue eyes stared into mine, holding more emotion than I would have felt possible from him. Then he spoke, I still remember every word that he said. "Listen TK, I'm here for you no matter what. If there is ever anything that you need, you just come straight to me. I love you TK, and no matter what happens, I always will. I'm gonna miss you." "I'm going to miss you too Matt! I don't want to leave!" He gave me a smile and gestured over my shoulder. "I think there's someone else who wants to say goodbye." I turned around and saw Kari standing there. Matt walked back to the group, composed once again, and I walked over to Kari, staring intently at my shoes. "I guess this is goodbye then." I said. "Yeah, I guess so." She replied, appearing equally  
interested in her camera. That's when I got an idea. "Hey, Kari, ya wanna get my mom to take a picture of us, so we can remember? I asked. "Sure thing!" she grinned, and gestured my mom over. "Ok you two, pose!" she said. Kari started to giggle. "So, how are we going to mark his occasion?" she asked. I was starting to feel a bit silly too, and since this was the last time that I may ever see her, a simply picked her up in my arms and twirled her around. She let out a little scream and latched her arms around my neck. "Smile!" my mom cried. We both turned our heads to face the camera, grinning like idiots. After the picture was taken, we collapsed in a laughing heap on the floor. "That was fun!" I said between gasps for air. "You should have seen Davis's face! He looked about ready to kill you!" she exclaimed, equally winded. "Here you go!" my mom said, handing us both a picture. One was of us posing, another in our ungainly pile on the ground. I quickly grabbed the latter. "I think I'll take this one," I said, "So your last memory of me  
isn't sprawled on the ground like an idiot. You keep the nice one!" She smiled." Alright! You had better keep in touch, ok?" "Ok!" 'Flight 203 is now boarding, all passengers please report to gate 4 immediately.' "That's us!" my mom cried. Yelling our final farewells, we boarded the plane. Looking out my window before takeoff, I could see Kari staring through the window at me, crying. That was the last straw for me, I broke down in tears as well, waving madly at my friends as the plane left down the runway. End Flashback Too bad there was no one to turn to. I had lost touch after the second time we had moved, everyone was growing up and apart. Matt and his band had finally hit it big, becoming international superstars. He had finally made it big. Tai was a pro soccer player, while Davis was playing on a college team. Sora was really into her tennis, while Mimi was designing clothes. Izzy had become a bigshot computer expert, with Yolei as a close second in the company. Joe a surgeon, Kari had become an actress and started a show on our  
adventures in the digiworld and Cody wrote a book. There was no way I could find any of them now, even if I wanted to. I don't need anyone's pity. I had to face it, my life was pretty much shot. No home, no family, no friends. There was no point anymore. No hope. I might as well just end it. I took out my Swiss army knife, and stared at it thoughtfully. Why hadn't I thought of this before? It's not like anyone would care, not like anyone would know it was me. Maybe after they checked my dentals and stuff, but that would be way longer after the press died down, if they ever got worked up at all, actually. I mean, who would actually care if some homeless kid killed himself anyways? I was lowering the knife to my wrist when I heard footsteps. There was someone coming into the alley. I jerked my head up quickly, catching them by surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry..." I heard them say. It was a girl, wearing blue jeans and a sweater, looking at me nervously. "No problem." I said, not really caring, just hoping that she would go away before I lost my nerve. She nodded, then caught sight of the knife in my hand, taking a step backwards in fear. I noticed this and managed a smile. "Don't worry girl, I'm not going to hurt you. Why don't you just leave, and forget that you saw me here. It might save you a lot of hassle." My voice sounded rough with disuse to me, there had been no reason to try and sound nice to anyone for months. She took a  
cautious step forward, still eyeing my knife. "What are you doing then?" she asked. I smiled wryly. Geez I thought, this girl sure is persistent! "Well, if you really care to know, I was about to put a homeless good-for-nothing out of his misery and everyone else's. Will you leave now?" She took yet another step forward. Now that I could see her clearly, I saw she was pretty, with shoulder length brown hair, and reddish brown eyes. It almost reminded me off.... Well, her. "You, you were going to kill yourself?" she asked. "But why would you ever want to do that?" I eyed her in disdain. "You would never know. You have probably never been ripped away from your life, your friends, and everyone you care about. You've probably never been down so low, there is nothing you want more than just to end it all." The way that she looked at me, I would swear she could see right through my soul. The look that she could gave me held more pain than I would think possible. "I suppose I don't, but I do know what it's like to loose someone close to you." At that I laughed aloud. She gave me a questioning look and I explained. "Well, it just struck me as funny that I'm sitting here pouring my guts out to a complete stranger. But in some odd way, I feel like I know you." She looked at me with eyes filled with too much wisdom for one as young as I was. "I get that feeling too." We sat there like that for a minute, just staring at each other, until we  
heard more steps coming from the opening of the alley. Looking up I saw someone so familiar I never knew it was possible. It was him, I had seen him on TV so many times after I left, I couldn't be mistaken. It was none other than Tai Kamiya He gave me a look filled with disdain, and grabbed the girls arm. "What took you so long? I told you not to take any shortcuts! This part of Japan is way different form when we were kids! And sitting in alleys with homeless guys, geez, you'd think you have no brains in your head Kari!" I froze. Kari? The girl... she was Kari! Oh god, why didn't is see it sooner? I just can't believe it... I quickly hung my head to discourage any chance of being recognized. I didn't want my old friends to see what I had become. "I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't mean to scare you. Your sister helped me out, I owe her." He whirled on me. "How did you know that she was my sister?" "Take It easy, buddy! I know because your one of the most famous guys in Japan, and everyone knows that you have a sister named Kari. Don't worry, alright?" He relaxed. "Ok, fine then. C'mon Kari." He said. She turned around and looked at me, a questioning look in her eyes. I smiled, and shook my head at her. She returned the smile and followed after Tai. "Why were you talking with him?" I could hear Tai ask. "Because," she responded, "He reminded me of someone." "Get your mind of him Kari, remember, the cops said  
the was missing, most likely dead, they think that unidentified body could be him. That bum isn't worth cleaning TK's shoes. Cheer up, and don't put yourself in danger like that again!" I nearly choked. They thought that I was dead? They actually cared? I couldn't believe that I was actually here. About to face all the people that I had cared about, in my old life. What was I doing? I had found out that there was to be a party, open to the public, to celebrate the anniversary of the first day we had headed to Digiworld to save everyone. I had forgotten about that day, blocked it out, seen it as an injustice. Why had we fought all those battles, lost so much, just to loose so much more back here? So I cleaned myself up a bit, bought myself my first new pair of clothes for a long time, even got a haircut. Still, I was sure that no one would recognize me. It had been too long, too much had happened, I wasn't the same person that I was. I didn't plan on letting any of them to know that I was there, just to see them again would be enough. So on the day of the party, I arrive early so I can get a good place to see all of my old friends come in. I wouldn't be making one of the grand entrances, dead guys don't walk. As the first car pulls up, I nearly loose my will and run, but something keeps telling me to stay. First were Izzy and Yolei. A couple? I nearly laughed out loud. I never would have guessed it all those years back, but I guess that it made sense. Next came Tai and ...Sora? I actually expected. But I didn't care. Of all the things... Cody came with a girl named May. Davis cam with a girl named Lori it looked like he didn't get the girl after all. Next were Joe and Mimi, there was no surprise there, they had been dating for the longest time. Then came Matt. I made sure that he couldn't see me, out of all of them, he was probably the most likely to recognize me. He had some pretty girl or another on his arm, I think I remember reading in a magazine that her name was Jehana. (Ha! I got it in for you! Happy chica?) A whole bunch of girls went crazy and started taking pictures at him, and I wasn't surprised. Figured that he'd have a lot of groupies! Last of all was her, Kari. She was also alone, but it didn't matter she looked so beautiful, like a goddess, I couldn't believe that she had actually been talking to me only last week. I walked into the party with everyone else, standing close, but not noticeably so, to the clump of people surrounding my friends. I couldn't believe that they were all together like this. Just like old times... And I'm just so tired of waking up on the ground. Later on in the night, Matt and Jehana were standing a bit separated from the thong of people, and I took the opportunity to sneak closer. How much I wanted just to talk to him, but how could I? Would he know it's me? Or could I get away with it? I was just about to go over when Kari approached me. I just froze. She smiled at me and said, "Hey, It's nice to see you again! I'm glad you're ok! I never knew it was you before!" I smiled back. "Yeah, it's nice to see you too!" It was then that I noticed something around her neck. It looked like a tag and crest, but it was thicker, and had tiny hinges. I pointed to it and asked. "What is that?" "Oh!" She laughed. "You mean this old thing? I asked the jeweler to make it for me, isn't it pretty? It's a locket, I've only ever kept one picture inside. It's of a best friend of mine, that I very recently lost. Would you like to see?" I nodded, and she opened it. It was that picture from so long ago, that was taken at the airport. "That's... a vary nice picture Miss Kamiya." I said. She only giggled. "Please, call me Kari. And you are?" she asked. My mind raced. Uh oh, what am I gonna say? But I was saved by someone that I least expected. "Kari!" Davis called. "Over here!" Kari smiled apologetically at me and mouthed "Later." So I resumed my watch of Matt, but I noticed something. There was another person watching. A person with a gun. I raced over to him as fast as I could, yelling "Matt, watch out!" I couldn't save mom, but I sure as hell wasn't going to loose my brother too! He whirled and looked at me with an odd expression on his face. I barely reached him in time. I tackled him away just in time to hear the gun go off, but all didn't go as planned. I knew that when I felt the cold steal of the bullet puncturing my stomach, spilling my warm sticky blood all over my shirt. He looked at me and a hand went to his mouth. He only said one thing. "I never knew." I felt it pierce the skin on my stomach, and rip through me like a pack of hungry dogs. I don't think that I've ever been in so much pain in my life. My blood spilt freely out of my stomach as I fell down to the ground. I hear Matt saying. "I never knew! I never knew that there was someone there!" I see feet rushing towards me, and feel the heat of many bodies around me. Kari kneels down and props me up, trying to stop the rushing flow of blood. "Oh my god, how could this happen! How?" I felt her tears fall onto my face. I reach up and try to brush them away. "Don't cry, I'm not worth it. Just let me die!" Joe breaks through the crowd, bending down and taking my pulse. "What happened here? Did someone shoot him?" Matt bent down too, I closed my eyes, half to try and hide my identity, half in pain. The agony was enough to make me want to die right there and then. "Someone tried to kill me, but this guy knocked me out of the way." He said. Joe was confused. "But why give up his life for yours? You don't even know him!" If they only knew. It must have been good, This can't be for good. Everyone's... Is everyone ok? I feel something being pressed on my wound, it helps, but still hurts. I hear them trying to get answers out of me, but I won't respond. If I just die, then no one will get upset knowing it's me. I've already died once to them, twice would be too much of a heartbreak. Then I hear the voice of Kari. "Why won't you just tell us who you are? Don't you owe me that much?" I managed to shake my head, eyes still sealed  
shut. "No. It is better for you not to know. But is Matt ok? Are you all alright?" A heard someone get down on their knees in front of me, I could feel their breath on my face. "Why did you save me?" Matt asks, "What do I mean to you?" "More than you can know." But Matt wouldn't be satisfied. "And what is that supposed to mean?" It was in that moment, that I realized that it might hurt even more to die without them knowing I cared. What if they found out afterwards, and thought I didn't care enough to tell them? Knowing that he was saved by his brother may bear less guilt than thinking he was saved by a complete stranger. I opened my eyes and stared him straight in the face. It was like time had reversed, and it was that day in the airport again. "It's me. TK." He gazed at me uncomprehendingly for a second then gasped. I could see the shock in his eyes. "TK?" He gasped. "Oh my god, I thought you were dead, I thought... TK!" He said it that last time a bit loud. I heard a collective gasp from around me, it seemed like something out of the movies. But this time it wasn't happening to someone else, it was happening to me. I gave a weak smile. "You know it." Then all I heard was muted shouts from around me, everything was starting to blur together. I heard a yell of "We're loosing him!" And then I fell into the darkness, back down. I woke up to the sound of a heart monitor beeping, and various mumbles coming form around me. I couldn't get up the strength to open my eyes, but eventually the voices became distinguished. Kari? I thought, Kari, are you here with me?   
  
  
  
  



	2. 

Fan-Fic: Kari's Quest-A Single Tear-Part 2  
Author: Angel aka Kari Kamiya  
  
We were all sitting there around his bed, silent, just staring at him, the one who we  
thought was dead. I still couldn't believe that it was him, him who had tried to kill  
himself in the alleyway, him who had been talking to me, him who had taken the  
bullet, him who was dying... "I can't believe it." Stated Matt, the first words that  
had been uttered in the presence of this room. "It all seems so unreal..." I know  
what he meant. Ever since I had heard Matt cry his name... Flashback "TK!" he  
yelled. A weak smile flickered over his features. "You know it." With that he  
passed out, and I heard I cry of "We're loosing him!" There were cries of distress  
from around me. Mimi was clutching Tai's arm, tears falling down her cheeks.  
"But, but how?" she asked. Tai absently stroked her hair, a look of shock  
plastered on his face. "In the alley, oh god, that was him? Why didn't I know?  
What was he doing there?" Izzy and Yolei were trying to reason it out, while Matt  
and Joe were attending him until the paramedics came. Cody was just staring at  
him, with disbelief painted across his face. Davis just asked, "But why wouldn't he  
just tell us that he was here?" No one could answer him. No one knew. End  
Flashback Why hadn't I seen it before? How could I have been so stupid, so  
blind? But then again, who would have thought that our TK, TK, would ever be  
living homeless on the streets of his childhood, ready to end his life? Especially  
when we all thought he was dead? Flashback We were all gathered at Matt's  
house, or mansion, planning the party for the 10th anniversary of our return. Not  
all of us wanted to, but the city said they were going to do it, so we may as well be  
the ones to plan it. "Have you been able to get a hold of TK?" Tai asked Matt.  
"No, I haven't, I'm not sure where he is-" he broke of as the phone rang. "Hold  
on!" he told us. All we heard was "Hello, who is this?" then silence. After about a  
minute of silence from Matt, we heard a muted groan, and a clatter of the phone  
hitting the ground. We ran out to Matt, who was in the hallway. He was just  
standing there, tears streaming down his face. He only said one thing, but it was  
enough. "My mother's dead, and they tell me they think he is too." We all  
understood. And I cried. End Flashback It must have been good, This can't be for  
good. Everything's... Is everything ok? The voices were becoming clearer, and I  
could manage to get my eyes open. Gazing around, I could see all the 'destined  
sitting around, on chairs or the floor, or standing up. Kari noticed my eyes open,  
and ran over to me. "TK, oh TK! Why didn't you just tell me? Why?" she sobbed.  
"Because," I whispered, "I didn't think you'd care anyway. It was too painful, I  
didn't want anyone to see what I had become." "Oh, TK, I cared, I did! When I  
thought you were dead... it's my fault!" I was confused by that. "Your... fault?"  
Looking down into his face I knew that it was now or never. "It's my fault," I  
started, "Because I waited too long... to tell you that I love you." He looked up at  
me with his clear azure eyes, and gave me a smile. "Oh Kari, I love you too." I had  
wanted to hear that for so long, those words lifted me up, made me feel so happy,  
but then something in my stomach clenched, and I doubled up on the bed in pain.  
"TK! TK, what's wrong?" I can hear Kari screaming. A bustle of people are  
around me, I can hear the doctors yelling. "He has massive internal bleeding! The  
wound didn't completely shut! Quick, get him into surgery, before he flat lines!" I  
feel myself starting to slip away, but I don't want to leave. I was just so happy a  
moment ago, why now? Was it because I waited? And I feel myself slipping...  
Back down. I'm here to wear you out, I'm here to watch you hide. Nothing to  
figure out, I'm here to watch you die. Running away from the breast of, Your busy  
giant healing machine. The Digidestined were all sitting in the small waiting room,  
some pacing restlessly (Matt), some staring into space, or at their shoes,  
(Everyone else but Mimi and Matt) and some counting ceiling tiles (Mimi). Jehana  
tried to calm Matt down by placing a small hand on his arm, but he just gave her a  
blank stare and kept walking. Out of all of them, he was taking it hardest. Except  
maybe for Kari. It had been three hours. Three hours since I had told him that I  
loved him, and three hours since he had told me the same. Three hours since he  
had gone into cardiac arrest, and was wheeled into surgery. In three hours, my life  
had changed so drastically. I couldn't believe it. Takeru, who I had known since I  
was eight years old, was dying. None of use even knew it was him, until it was too  
late. Until that bullet aimed for Matt had hit him instead, until he had woken up in  
the hospital, only to be rendered helpless again by a wound that would not heal. I  
heard the noise of a door opening, and my head jerked upwards to look into the  
face of the doctor who was taking care of TK. He cleared his throat and began.  
"Well, I have good news, and I have some bad news. The good news is, that for  
the moment, TK is out of danger." Matt strode over to him quickly. "And the bad  
news?" "The bad news is, that we do not know what caused this injury." Now it  
was Tai that leapt up, to stand angerly beside Matt, despite Mimi's restraining  
grasp. "What do you mean, you don't know? It was a gun you incompetent poor  
excuse for a doctor! Someone shot him!" "Listen, I'm sorry, but if you'll all come  
with me, I will let our experts here at Odaiba General explain it to you." So, me and  
all the rest of the 11 digidestined, still dressed up in our party clothes, most of them  
stained in blood, followed the doctor into the room where our friend lay pale and  
unmoving on the bed. I quickly rushed to his side, picking up with hand. It felt cool  
and clammy, not at all like the warm reassuring touch it had given me so many  
times before. We all looked up to see two women, about 25 or so enter the room.  
One had long auburn hair, and one short blonde hair. "Hello, it's nice to meet you,  
Digidestined. I am Kate, and this is my partner Kyra." The blonde one spoke.  
"Now, Doctor Kaide, if you would be so kind as to let us discuss this with the  
patients friends..." The doctor nodded his head and left. Immedeatly after the door  
shut, Kyra got up and locked it. When the digidestined gave her questioning looks,  
she shot a look of her own at Kate who nodded. In a flash of light the two women  
in front of them changed. Their forms shrunk, and they sprouted pixie-like  
gossomer wings, their eyes changed to a wide oval shape, completely one color,  
the same as their wings and hair. Kate was a flaming orange-red, and Kyra a light  
violet. They were wearing long medieval druid-like robes, Kate's with the symbol of  
courage on it, accompanied by a red and yellow tounge of flame, and Kyra had  
the crest of knowledge along with a large bolt of lightning. The kids stared in shock  
at the two fairy like creatures hovering in the air before them. Kyra smiled down at  
them. "I am Kyra, the digi-goddess of knowledge, protector of the strength of  
lightning, and this," she continued to the other girl, "Is Kate, the digi-goddess of  
courage, and protector of the sacred flame. We are here to help you rescue TK."  
Nobody left in line, No one to make you shine. Hanging on to the backs of  
opinions, You've borrowed and betrayed. Tai was the first to speak. Figures the  
first word out of my brothers mouth would be stupid. "Huh?" "Real intellegent Tai!"  
Kate giggled. "Now, I suppose that we have some explaining to do." "Yes," Izzy  
said, taking a step towards Kyra, "That would be a plausable idea." (I LUV that  
word!) "I'll explain." Kyra stated, "Seeing as Kate here sometimes gets a bit ahead  
of herself... anyways," she continued, after receiving a glare from her friend, "As you  
have been told, TK was not attacked by a normal weapon, but by a digimon." she  
forestalled any questions with a raised hand. "This digimon is named Shultmon. He  
is an extremely powerful digimon, and cannot be beaten by any normal means. The  
only way to save TK, is to destroy Shultmon with the artifacts of the eight  
goddesses, and the power of light and goodness. Do you understand?" "Artifacts  
of the eight goddesses? What are those? And where do we find these goddeses?"  
Kate smiled. "Well, we are the first two. The others can be found within a vast  
lake, in a deep forest, in the center of stone, the wings of a cloud, the peak of a  
mountain and the birth of all life itself. The chosen one shall be brought to the next  
place with the correct completion of a task from the previous goddess." "The  
chosen one?" Davis asked. "Kari," Kate continued, "The child of light." I was  
shocked. Me? Why me? Fortunatly, I didn't even have to voice my question.  
Davis exploded. " Why Kari?" "Because, her soul is one with hope." Kyra simply  
stated. Kate asked, "Kari, are you up to the challenge?" I looked at both her and  
Kyra, so powerful, yet willing to help us. To help TK. I gazed down at his pale  
face, and nodded. "I will do whatever it takes to save him." I affirmed. "Alright."  
Kyra said. "Now light, tell me this. What is the true meaning of knowledge?" She  
asked. I was shocked. What kind of question was this? But I had to answer, if I  
wanted to save TK, so I just said the first thing that popped into my mind.  
"Knowledge is knowing yourself, who you are, your dreams, and... and your  
hopes." I finished. Kyra smiled. "That is correct. Now take this. With this I give  
you my power and my blessing." She handed me a perfect shining ring of the  
purest gold. I slipped it onto my finger, and turned to face Kate. She gave me a  
smile. "What child, is the true meaning of Courage?" That one barely took a  
moments thought. All I had to do was remember my brother. "Courage," I said, "Is  
doing what is right, no matter what, no matter what anyone says, no matter how  
afraid you are." To my answer she rewarded me with another smile. "Correct.  
Take this, with my power and my blessing." Kate handed me out of her dainty  
hand a deep red ruby, shaped as a curving tear. It looked like a tear of flame. I  
was surrounded by a bright white light, and as everything faded from my vision I  
heard the voice of Kyra calling, "Be warned, things are not always as they seem.  
The road will get harder, but keep up your hope..." I woke to find myself laying on  
a dusty path in the middle of a field of grass. Standing up, I could see the glimmer  
of light on water ahead of me, in the distance. As I started walking towards it, a  
million thoughts were racing through my head. What did Kyra mean by the road  
getting harder? And what would the other goddesses be like? In a vast lake, that  
must be the one that I am approaching now. I kept walking for what seemed like  
an hour, until I finally reached the shore. There I saw the digimon from our  
adventures from all those years ago. Agumon. Gabumon. Biyomon. Tentomon.  
Gomammon. Palmon. Veemon. Hawkmon. Armadillomon. Wormmon. Lopmon.  
Terriermon. Patamon and finally Gatomon. Gatomon yelled "KARI! We're here to  
help. The rest of them will digivolve to help us. Patamon and I'll join you." I sat  
down on the sand to take a breather, and look around for a way to get out onto  
the lake. Conveniently, almost so that I suspecting the goddess had known of my  
coming arrival, there was a canoe on the beach a little ways to the east. It looked  
like a smaller version of the one we had escaped Shellmon in. I got to my feet and  
walked over to it. Searching carefully for leaks, I pushed it into the water and  
jumped in, striking out toward the middle of the lake. I finally got there, and saw a  
very odd sight. It was a large rock with the crest of friendship engraved onto it. As  
I got out of my boat and stood on it, a MarineAngemon popped out of seemingly  
nowhere and faced me. It spoke. "What do you want here, child of light?" It  
asked. I composed myself. "I wish to see the Goddess of this lake. The  
digi-goddess of..." I hesitated for a moment, then continued. "...of friendship." He  
nodded his head and looked me in the eyes. "To gain enterance to her dwelling,  
first you must answer a riddle." I nodded and he continued. "What runs far without  
winding, has banks yet no money, and you could not survive without?" "Does it  
have fish in it?" asked Gatomon. I thought hard before answering. This sounded  
familiar... "I know!" I exclaimed. "It's a river!" The MarineAngemon disappeared,  
and the stone beneth me shifted to form stairs. I followed them down until I was  
standing in a vast chamber, so wide and long that I could not see any walls. There  
was a shimmer of light before me and suddenly I was looking at her. She looked  
much like the other goddesses, dainty and fairy-like, but she had azure wings,  
eyes, and hair, that looked much like the colour of TK's eyes. On the front of her  
robe along with the symbol of friendship was a wave of water. "I am the  
digi-goddess of friendship, protector of the will of water." She suddenly flashed me  
a surprisingly mirthful grin. "But you can call me by my human name, Nikki. What  
is it that you quest for?" I swallowed, and smiled back. "Godd- I mean, Nikki," I  
said, "I quest for your artifact in helping me heal TK and destroying Shultmon."  
She nodded and said, "Tell me child, what is the true meaning of friendship." I  
thought of all my digidestined friends waiting back in TK's room, their hopes  
resting on me. The answer came. "True friendship is being willing to sacrifice  
yourself to help a friend, and to be able to understand them without judging." She  
gave me a look of approval and said in a warm voice, "Correct. Now, take this  
with my power and my blessing." She handed me a chain of milky white pearls that  
I hung around my neck. "Goodbye Kari, I hope that you can come and visit again,  
when the circumstances are not so grave." As the room faded around me I heard,  
"Beware of the duel paths, that which may seem safe my not be the right road to  
happiness." ~~~In another place~~~ This time as the light faded, I was conscious.  
I found myself standing in a dense woods, filled with ancient trees and other types  
of vegetation. Again on a path, I did the only sensible thing and started walking.  
Geez, I though, They couldn't have dropped me a little closer to the next goddess,  
could they've? Oh no, that would be too easy... After awhile, a found myself a  
fork in the path. The left side continued pretty much as this had, and the other was  
dark, and covered with brambles and sharp looking branches. Remembering  
Nikki's words, she started towards the right one, but it was not that easy. And  
Cherrymon stepped out and blocked the path. "Halt, child of light! You may not  
pass!" "But why!?" I exclaimed. "I have to see the next goddess!" He chuckled,  
"But don't you want to take the nice, safe path to see her? It would be so much  
easier than this old unused piece of junk!" "No!" I cried. "I have to take that path!  
Please move!" "I'll make you a deal. If you can make it to the start of this path  
where I'm standing, I'll let you go. Agreed?" I knew that there had to be some sort  
of trick, but I really had no choice. "Agreed. But incase you pull a trick Gatomon  
will digivolve." I said. But then I wished that I hadn't, I couldn't have been  
prepared for this. It felt like a million daggers were being stabbed through my  
head, that an iron band was crushing my skull. As I struggled forward, horrible  
images flooded my mind, TK dying because I had failed him, the rest of the  
destined scorning my for my mistake, and other painful things. But I struggled one,  
one single thought sustaining me. "Gatomon digivolve to Angewomon." Yelled  
Gatomon. 'I must save TK, I must be his hope, or I may loose him forever. I love  
him.' And the next thing I knew, I broke through to Cherrymon with one heaving  
step, and the pain stoped. I realized that I had been clutching my head in agony  
while I was moving along, at little more than a snail's pace toward my tormenter. I  
gazed up at him. "I have completed your task." I said, "Now let me pass." He  
shook his head, causing some leaves to fall from his branches and scatter on the  
ground. "I could let you pat, but it would be no good. To get to the next  
digi-goddess, the goddess of Sincerity, you must have a key. The only way to gain  
it is my riddle. Answer correct, and you receive the key. Answer wrong, I will  
send you back to your true reality. Are you ready?" I nodded silently. This was  
much harder than Nikki's, she never had a tree that sounded like it was part of the  
Italian Mafia drilling painful images into your mind. My head was still ringing, and  
not pleasently. "What," he started, "Is ageless as time itself, as beautiful as a rose,  
can survive though one half is gone, yet something lifeless cannot feel?" I stared  
blankly at him for a moment, before reality set in. I didn't know the answer. I  
would fail, TK would die, and leave me alone, our bond broken... I froze. That  
was it! "The answer Cherrymon," I said, trying hard to let my voice break, "Is  
Love." In a gust of wind he dissapeared, leaving a key in his wake. It was  
burnished silver, with orient vines twined around the head. I picked it up, it was  
conciderably lighter than it looked. Starting down the path, I was surprised to find  
myself in front of a large metal gate, the safe material as the key, within about five  
minutes. Maybe whoever decided where I was dropped wasn't so cruel after all.  
Fitting the key into the lock with minimum effort, I turned and pushed. The door  
swung open, and the key dissapeared from my hand. As I stepped in, I had little  
time to think of this, as I was confronted with the Digi-Goddess of Sincerity. Like  
the others she has wings, the same colour as the pretty soft moss green colour hair  
and eyes, much like the colour of Mimi's crest. On her snow white robes she had  
the images of sincerity an oak leaf. "Greetings child of light," she said is a warm  
voice, "I am the digi-goddess of sincerity, protector of the serentity of forest. You  
may call me Stacey. I know what you quest for, are you prepared for your  
question?" I liked her, she was brusque, and to the point, but not in an unkind way.  
She seemed very nice, maybe she knew that I was in somewhat of a hurry. I  
smiled and nodded. "I am ready." "What," she asked, "Is the true meaning of  
Sincerity?" I was prepared for this, so I barely had to think. All I did was remember  
how good it felt, to let out to TK my true feelings for him. "Sincerity," I said, "Is  
telling what you feel, not waiting, and not being afraid of the results." She smiled at  
me and held out her hand. In it was a beautiful glass flower, a snow lily. "Take this,  
Kari, with my power and my blessing. May your journey be a safe one." "Thank  
you." I said. The now familiar white light surrounded me, and her parting words  
were heard asd if they came from far away, "Remember, nothing is impossible, just  
let your heart lead the way..." Feeling the rushing sensation of dimension hopping  
fade, I looked around. "It... it can't be!" She was... in the digiworld??? And yet it  
wasn't... it was like a piece of the digiworld, put into the middle of a giant field. An  
big piece. Infinity Mountain to be exact. Not quite sure of what to do, I started to  
climb. "Always walking... they really are trying to make this as difficult as possible,  
arn't they?" I asked to no one in particular. What surprised me even more was that  
I got an answer. "I can make it easier, for a price." It was a Unimon, standing a bit  
ahead of me on the path. 'What in the world...' I wondered. "What does that  
mean, for a price?" I asked warily. "You are short on time." He stated the obvious.  
"I can fly you to Trinity's dwelling, for a simple price." He kept mentioning that. A  
simple price. "And what exactly is that?" I asked, voicing my question. "So far,  
everyone has just accepted that you love TK, but I am here to see how much you  
value it. You will give your prized possesion, and I will take you to Trinity's." It  
made sense I suppose. It figures, a materialistic mythical creature... oh gee, how  
predictable. But who was Trinity? And who made up these tasks anyways?  
"Well," I said, "What do I have to give up? The only thing I have with me is..." I  
trailed off. "My.. my grandmothers ring..." The Unimon gave what I took to be a  
smile. "That will do nicely. Now hand it over, child of light." I hesitated, but only  
for a moment. I chided myself. 'How can you put a price on your love's life?  
Anything is worth it, even this.' I took off the ring and held it out to him. He flew  
over and picked it up daintily with his teeth, dropping into a small pouch on his  
ankle. "Climb on." He said, and I complied. The ride took only a brief minute, but  
that was all that it took me to remember the joy of flying. Even if it was on the back  
of a strange digimon, it had not lost any of its charm. Almost, but not quite, too  
soon, I was put down in front of a large stone door. The Unimon knelt to let me  
off, then gently lipped the sleeve of my dress. "It was a pleasure doing business  
with you mistress. You are an excellent rider. Good luck."   
  



	3. 

Kari's Quest-A Single Tear-Part 3- The Conclusion  
Author: Angel aka Kari Kamiya  
  
Kari: I met TK in an alley but I didn't know it was him. I saw him later that night at  
a club and he took a bullet for Matt. He was rushed to the hospital. I was then  
teleported to the digiworld and I started a quest to save TK by destroying  
Shultmon. Gatomon and I met a Unimon and he flew us to Trinity's. I hope I save  
TK. With that he flew off, and I was faced with what looked like the head of a  
Gatsumon imbedded in the stone. It spoke. "To see my mistress, Trinity, you must  
first answer the riddle. Do you accept?" I nodded. What else was I to do? they  
should know this by now... He continued. "What is alive, but never breathing, in  
water but never drinking, all in mail, never clinking?" I thought. Why, did this sound  
so familiar? Something about a cave, deep under ground... Suddenly, I knew, and  
laughed aloud. "I know, you took this one from "The Hobbit!" Me and TK did this  
as a book report in grade seven! The answer is a fish." The head nodded, and the  
door creaked open. I took a step inside, and gazed at my surroundings. I was in a  
large cavern, lit by floating lanterns in front of each pillar, that stretched to the back  
of the cave in a line on each side. A large ball of light appeared before me, and out  
stepped who I suppose was the Trinity they had all spoken for. Her wings, hair  
and eyes were all a sparkling gray, but it was her eyes that struck me the most.  
They seemed to be deep pools of knowledge, studying me intently, she was  
definetly very pretty like all the goddesses before. Her clothes were like the others,  
but had a silver sign of reliability and a mountain on them. "Welcome." She said in  
a friendly manor. "I am the digi-goddess of Reliabilty, protector of the Calm of  
Stone. Many call me Trinity, but you may call me Sarah. I am pleased to meet  
you, Child of Light, Hikari. I know what you quest for, are you prepared to  
answer my question?" I nodded, silently. "What is the true meaning of reliability?" I  
thought hard for the briefest of moments until I understood. "Reliabilty," I stated,  
"Is watching out for others, and putting them before yourself." A smile lit up her  
face. "Correct!" She cried. "Now, there is a reason they call me Trinity. Please  
give me the gifts that Stacey and Kate gave to you. I handed them over, asking,  
"What do you want with them?" She smiled again, and took out a stone dagger  
from her sleeve. Placing all three objects in her hand, there was a bright flash of  
light and I gasped at what I saw. The flower and tear of flame had embeded  
themselves into the hilt of the stone dagger, making the beautiful weapon shine.  
Sarah smiled at my amazement. "The next digi-goddess will do this too, then the last  
shall combine the two most powerful into the last. Now go dear one, and find the  
next digi-goddess. I waited to be swept away, but the feeling never came. I  
looked at her questioning and laughed. "Oh no, you must find your way from here!  
Go now, and remember words spoken to you what may seem like long ago... I  
walked out of the cave, dazed, and the door shut behind me. Recalling Kate's  
words she murmered, "On the wings of a cloud... but thats impossible, unless I  
could fly..." Suddenly it dawned on me, and I cried out. "Unimon, I need your  
help!" When he didn't appear, I began to loose it. "Please, if this is about another  
item, I'll give you anything that you want! Anything... just please, help me save  
Takeru!!!" And in a sudden burst of air, he was there, looking down at her. In a  
hurry she asked, "What do you want? I'll give you anything--" She looked up,  
surprised, when she heard him whinny in amusement. "I don't require anything. You  
have just passed the next test. Giving up something because you have no choice is  
one thing, but because of true, undying love, is something much more special. In a  
glimmer of light, her ring was back, and Unimon was kneeling. "Come Kari, we  
must hurry. There is little time to waste!" With a grin I launched myself onto his  
back and we were off. We were soaring steadily upwards, and I was becoming  
short of breathe when we landed. It was breathtaking. It was a castle on a cloud...  
literally. I jumped off of Unimons back and whispered my thanks, somewhat  
tearily. He gave a small sniff himself, nuzzled me affectionatly, and left. I trudged up  
to the large gate, looking about warily. It was peaceful, almost too-- my thoughts  
were interrupted when I reached the gates and was confrunted with a beautiful  
carving of a Pheonixmon that looked almost real... "If you wish to pass Child of  
Light, first you must answer my riddle." it spoke, startling me nearly out of my wits.  
I should have known. I nodded, and it continued. "What is in a bed, but never  
sleeps? Full of needles never weeps? Full of beauty, never vain, has many colours,  
but still the same?" I stared at it. What kind of question was that? Sounded like a  
mixed up bunch of nonsense to me, the only gate in the world with wood for  
brains, or possibly dirt... Then it clicked. I yelled out a single word. "Roses!" The  
giant carving simply nodded and creaked open. I found myself not in a large  
chamber as usual, but a relatively small one, furnished cozily. In front of me a faint  
glow appeared, and the digi-goddess appeared. She was like the others, hair,  
eyes, and dainty wings a beautiful deep crimson of a newly blossomed rose, and  
her white robes bearing the symbol of love and a cloud surrounded by a playful  
breeze. Giving me an appraising look she said, "Welcome to my castle little one. I  
am Ides, the digi-goddess of Love, protector of the Song of Wind. I know what  
you seek, and of your rush. Are you ready for my question?" I looked at her and  
inclined my head. She spoke the usual question. "What, is true love?" This question  
seemed almost a joke. It was the reason that I was here. "It is caring for someone  
so much, so deeply that it defies words. You are willing to do anything for them,  
give up your life for them, because the make you whole, they complete you, your  
very soul." Ides smiled and I could swear that I could see tears in her eyes. She  
nodded, and took out a curious flute. It was almost like a recorder up top, put it's  
end wound around in a spiral shape, ending in the middle. "Now child, give me the  
gifts of Knowledge and Friendship." After I handed them over, her hand was  
surrounded by a glow, and I looked at the result. The flute was now edged down  
one side in pearls, and one in gold, giving it a shiny, luminous quality. It was  
beautiful. taking it I looked up at her wordless. She grinned. "Go now child, may  
fate be kind to you." I was surrounded once again by the thrill of transporting, and  
the last words I heard were, "I can give you no sound advice, for there is no  
beating what is ahead, you can only hope you heart if pure..." As the light faded I  
was hit with a terrific shock. It was like I was simply standing on air, miles above  
the earth. Looking up, I saw that there would be no walking. An Angemon and  
Angewomon were standing in front of me... they looked so familiar, could it be? It  
was. They smiled down at me, and the Angewomon smiled. "We have been  
chosen to judge you Kari. There will be no test of knowledge. We will simply look  
into your heart and see if your wish to save TK is pure. Are you ready?" Gatomon  
dedigivolved. I spoke a single word. "Yes." And I was overcome with the most  
peculiar feeling, it was like my history with TK was being laid out before me.  
Meeting him as children, facing Piedmon together, being saved by his hope,  
reunited again in 7th grade, the fun we had, how we'd flirt, just to make Davis  
angry... I smiled as tears spilt out of my eyes and I realized just what I could loose.  
Then as soon as it started it stopped. The angels looked down at me with smiles  
on their faces. "Your heart is pure and your intentions true." Angemon spoke.  
"Now meet the digi-goddesses of Hope and Light, and save TK." They faded  
from view as two twin points of light appeared before me. Soon, the two  
remaining digi-goddesses appeared, and it was a sight to behold. The first had  
eyes wings and hair of a shining golden yellow, and her robe was imbossed with a  
golden sign of hope, and nothing more. The next was much alike the first, but her  
features were a delicate pink, so pale it was nearly white. On her robe there was a  
slightly darker flower of light. The first spoke. "I am the digi-goddess of Hope,  
protector of the Rays of Sun, but you may call me Lys." After the briefest of  
seconds the next said, "And I am Maki, digi-goddess of Light, protector of the  
Sense of Clarity." Lys didn't stop to ask questions. 'What Kari, is the meaning of  
hope?" All I had to do was picture TK's smiling face, and his clear blue eyes to  
say, "Believing in yourself, your loves ones, and your dreams." Nodding, she  
handed me a beautiful miniature sun made out of amber. Her face suddenly broke  
out into a grin and she quickly pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle laughter of  
delight. She seemed very happy, like TK.... I thought. Maki spoke next, a ghost of  
a smile tracing her fine lips. "What is light?" She asked. And though most may think  
this an impossible question to answer, I knew. And I had always known. "Light is  
power. The power to do what is right, with a pure, true heart." and in a burst of  
light, I was holding the most beautiful, flawless diamond I had ever seen. Lys and  
Maki cupped their hands together, and without question I placed my two new  
treasures into them, and after a startling and quick burst of yellow and pink light,  
they handed one object back to me. Somehow the sun had shrunk, and ended up  
in the very center of the diamond, making it shine gold when light passed through  
it. They both looked and my and smiled sadly and spoke as one. "Now you have  
achieved, Your heart's desire, Return to your world, With these new gifts acquired."  
And in a rush of blinding light, I knew that I was going home. But this time we're  
saving you. And as soon as the light faded, I was confronted by my friends, staring  
at me in shock. Seeing TK lying pale and weak on the bed, I dashed over, stilling  
the questions on the tougnes of my friends. Kate and Kyra moved away from  
they're positions on the side of the bed, back in their normal attire, and I took the  
gifts out of my bag. Placing the dagger in his right hand, the flute in his left, and the  
stone on his heart, I bent over and kissed his cool lips, and as a bright glow  
surrounded us both, I felt them warm, and felt Takeru sit up and take me in his  
arms, healed at last, body and soul. And as we broke off our kiss we looked up to  
see the room suddenly more full than it was a moment before. The digi-goddess  
were all in the room in human form, and staring at us with the happiest expressions  
on their face. My friends still looked slightly bewildered, but that didn't matter. TK  
was safe, and I was in his arms at last. The world was as it was supposed to be.  
But I had no more time to think as TK held me closer, and I was lost in the sweet  
truth of our love.  
  
  
  
  



End file.
